Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

We opened this package at our church community café. I looked around to see who I could label as ‘rated mature’… Herbs and spices… One jar label: ‘This herb goes well with pork, beef, duck and chicken recipes.’ That’s sage advice… If I were to switched jar labels… I might not get into trouble immediatelyContinue reading “Changing The Label”

It’s time for autumn/winter pruning. A couple of weeks ago I started on the bushes and shrubs in our front garden. I wanted to finish them last Saturday. ‘Use the electric hedge-trimmer,’ Rachel suggested. Good plan. I got out the extension cable, plugged it in, switched it on. As they say locally, ‘Job’s a goodContinue reading “Connection… Flow… Results.”

It’s the Winter Season. Woolly hats and gloves have come out, daylight hours are shorter and round-the-year sea-swimmers appear more bonkers… It’s the Christmas season. On Saturday it was the Colchester Santa Fun Run… in Lowestoft there was a Christmas market with Christmas music played and performed. ‘‘Tis the season to be jolly’ the carolContinue reading “Seasonal Musing”

Peace to youWe bless you now in the name of the Lord Peace to youWe bless you now in the name of the Prince of Peace Peace to you Tomorrow evening we shall have ‘Seekers and Dreamers’ at our Seagull Theatre. Guitars, violin, mandolin, percussion and accordion will accompany traditional carols, we shall enjoy aContinue reading “Peace To You”

Yesterday was damp, cold and grey. The sea was grey. The sky was grey. I felt grey. Musing on my accordion… given to me by my mother nearly 60 years ago. I felt like my accordion – elderly, leaky bellows… pushing the wrong buttons, playing the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order…Continue reading “David, George, Hamza, Patrick…”

Christmas is coming. Last Sunday the Advent candles were out at church; some folks have their Christmas lights up; last night a group of us practiced carols for our first carol service next week. For me that means getting my accordion out. Most years it only comes out at Christmas. I play it at aContinue reading “Accordions & Teachers – in the Cupboard”

Sometimes the news seems like stories about different people in different places that don’t affect me. Yesterday’s news seemed very close to home… Lady Susan Hussey, one of the late Queen’s closest aides, Prince William’s godmother, resigned. Her comments to a prominent black domestic abuse campaigner appeared to show deep misunderstanding and racism… The news:Continue reading “Songbird”

The ancient Greek myth tells of Pandora who was given a box that she must never open. She did open it. All of the evils of the world were released – war, greed, hunger, pain, hatred, anger, lying, disease, poverty, death… filling the world. When Pandora looked in the box all that remained was hope…Continue reading “The Warrior Peacemaker”

Yesterday daughter Jo posted this on Facebook: ‘Changing Seasons. Today I drove to Cambridge for a 10 minute meeting! But it was an important meeting. I have been accepted by the URC Church to train to be a Minister of Word and Sacrament.’ Many friends wrote their words of support and encouragement. For me asContinue reading “Jo – Mist, Doors, & Buckets”

For many years I’ve attended our local Baptist church. Yesterday morning, the first Sunday in Advent, was a baptism service. Karen and Elise were baptised. Their friends and families came. Before their baptisms they told their stories of life and their experiences of faith. Elise is young; Karen is older. Both spoke with sincerity, courageContinue reading “Speaking Well”